Keeping Purpose in Mind

As educators, most of us started this journey with a passion and a love for seeing students grow and learn. We were drawn in by the joy of building relationships with students, investing in their lives, and watching them blossom. There’s nothing quite like seeing the light bulb come on, or hearing a parent say, “My child finally did it!” Those moments remind us of why we fell in love with teaching in the first place.

For some, education was a calling from the start. For others, it wasn’t their original career, but something happened — a spark ignited — and they discovered a sense of purpose in teaching that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Regardless of how we arrived, one thing is certain: educators don’t do this for the money or the accolades. We do it for the seeds we plant in children’s lives and the chance to watch those seeds grow, flourish, and produce lasting change.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose sight of that purpose. Curriculum shifts, standards change, testing evolves, and requirements pile up. In the midst of it all, we must remember what keeps us moving forward: our purpose.

I’ve known since childhood that teaching was part of who I am. By middle school I began to question it — wondering if I could really handle the challenges of working with kids. But a mentor once asked me: “If you had to do a profession for free, and never got paid a dime, which one would you choose?” My answer came easily: teaching. That clarity has never left me.

Even now, whether it’s preparing a new lesson, launching an initiative as a school leader, or supporting teachers through coaching, I still feel that same spark. The purpose of giving, teaching, and investing in others is what gets me up each morning and drives me to keep moving forward.

And that’s what I want to leave with you: never lose sight of your “why.” Our purpose is what sustains us through the hard days and keeps us grounded in the calling we answered.

💡 I’d love to hear from you:What is one moment in your career that reminded you of your purpose?Share a story — big or small — that made teaching and leading all worth it.

Because those moments, those stories, are the ones that no one can ever take away. They stay with us, and they are priceless.